With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

[Vaermina]

Provide a quote where Lonnie said that he told everyone that he was going to mentally amputate them, or drop it.

Otherwise I'm just going to think that Lonnie decided to amputate them because he thought it was for their own good.

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Provide a quote where Lonnie said he didn't inform them that he was going to use a magical methode to remove their trauma, or drop it.

Two can play this particular game, Darko.

Did you forget the part where Paul explained his and the League's actions for why they're doing what they're doing?

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None of which changes that Lonnie was right.

So Paul should just leave the mind controlling, genocidal, slaver empire alone for...reasons?

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And to try and get rid of them Orange Lantern acted just like the Shadows.

You mean the war he finally stopped in that part of space when he gave the most benevolent player, who you have never provided any evidence that she does practice slavery, the chance the succeed?

Or the part where you thought that because the Lizarkons have no rights under Thanagarians, then that means they can't have a say in their own future?

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It wasn't a war, it was a stalemate with nobody making any moves of note because the others would jump on them if they did.

Now it is an actual war with millions dying because Queen control freak is enslaving their worlds.

So the fact that they killed a lot of people, even before the Vorlons broke their dumb rules, is just not going to be mentioned?

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It was mentioned,

"Up until that point it was exactly what Orange Lantern does,"

The only way that doesn't cover "killed a lot of people" is if you think Orange Lantern hasn't killed a lot of people.

 

[Darko]

Two can play this particular game, Darko

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Except your credibility at this point is worthless, so no.

None of which changes that Lonnie was right.

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And Paul was wrong?

He wasn't.

And to try and get rid of them Orange Lantern acted just like the Shadows.

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Yeah, because diplomacy would have worked just fine with the genocidal, slaver empire.

It wasn't a war, it was a stalemate with nobody making any moves of note because the others would jump on them if they did.

Now it is an actual war with millions dying because Queen control freak is enslaving their worlds

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Except she quickly won that battle, and stalemates aren't exactly the perfect solution you're thinking they are.

It was mentioned,

"Up until that point it was exactly what Orange Lantern does,"

The only way that doesn't cover "killed a lot of people" is if you think Orange Lantern hasn't killed a lot of people

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Paul has killed people, but a majority of them were literary evil psychopaths, while the Shadows aren't shown as caring who they kill, ranging from random civilians, to people that have done nothing wrong to anyone.

 

[Mr Zoat]

October 1st, 2013
02:42 RST
Lex Luthor

I've been… Surprised, but working with the government of Chong-Mai has been good for my mood. Something else I should thank Orange Lantern-. Something else I should thank Paul for.

There's a beep from the phone on my desk.

"Yes?"

"It's done."

Hardly the first purge this retrograde country has seen. I doubt that anyone who hears about it will be surprised. The rest of the government knows better than to gainsay me. For the most part, they're competent administrators who've had a life time of experience in keeping their heads down and obeying orders.

"The boy?"

"We have him."

Dealing with consummate professions is a pleasant experience. Truggs was undoubtably the best candidate for being the Light's chief field operative, but the man can be… Frustrating to work with at times. Initiative and obedience aren't always in conflict… No, that's not fair. I'm half-convinced that his backchat is performative. And I can't honestly fault his mission discipline, either. It's his attitude, the way he presents himself. But, he does a good job, so I'll accept it, and keep Mister Orr on-hand as a backup candidate.

"Healthy?"

"As healthy as can be expected."

"Good. The staff?"

"No issues."

Good. That will make things easier. "I've dispatched a team with the replacement generators. Make it clear to the existing staff that they can stay on or leave as they choose."

"And if they choose to leave?"

"Then they leave. I have no interest in trying to motivate people with 'nationalistic loyalty'. If improved pay and conditions don't motivate them then there's no sense in taking the risk involved in keeping them there. Perhaps they can try their luck in China."

The Nay Power Plant was Chong-Mai's main source of foreign currency. Since Nay's output provided far more power than their crumbling infrastructure could use, they sold the excess to China, which also motivated China to not simply annex their country. Because naturally they weren't selling to the Chinese state, no. They sold directly to businesses controlled either by the Chinese military or by highly-placed party officials under exemptions granted by those same officials. Officials who couldn't get away with that if it was annexed and the state power company took over.

Officials who are either dead or deposed in the aftermath of the Anti-Life broadcast, so there won't be any trouble from that direction.

"Understood. Further orders?"

"Remain on-site until power is restored, and then return to the capital. Organise things as you see fit."

And he just ends the call, because clearly neither of us had anything else to say.

I turn my attention to the files on my desk. Physical files, which can be put in physically secure places once I'm done with them. With the Amazon's new God of Technology allied to the Justice League, our formerly-impregnable computer security became… Impossible to depend upon in quite the same way. All that money spent on the servers and in the end we only got a couple of years out of it. At least the knowledge we derived from making them will be useful.

And speaking of the League…

They're expanding their control network. More OMACs, more bargains with weak willed government officials, and an expanded mentoring program. It's genuinely frustrating how many League members genuinely don't understand what's happening. I'd wonder if my data sources were being subverted if it didn't perfectly match their behavioural profiles.

How can they not see it? It's-.

I exhale slowly, tilting my head back, closing my eyes and… Juvenile as it sounds, returning to my 'happy place'. When I read the financial projections which demonstrated that LexAir was heading towards profitability ahead of the original predictions. I'm not.. there yet with Chong-Mai… And I'd be a fool to announce what I'm doing here to financial analysts…

But maybe this is just a better form of diversification? Countries after all have all sorts of benefits unique to their asset class.

Heh. As ridiculous as it sounds, the approach does actually work.

But the files. Lists of young people going through Chong-Mai's education system. Decrepit as it is, the truly exceptional people within it managed to rise to the top anyway. A combination of intelligence to complete the tests and social skills to avoid sticking out in a way which some brittle-egoed Party apparatchik might decide was 'contrary to the People's interests'. My people have already gotten to work on changing that -Chong-Mai needs engineers more than it needs Communism- but those who did succeed are exceptional individuals.

And exceptional individuals should be given the chance to advance themselves.

"Activate security."

My office here isn't anything like as secure as my office in Metropolis. The armored shutters were here when I arrived, but the wardings and the white noise generator are recent additions, and very clearly not integrated into the structure. I wince slightly every time I see the kludged job… But it's going to be at least six months before I can make a decision on where it makes sense to build a bespoke headquarters in this country, so I'll simply have to make do.

Security engaged, I open my mobile communication system and lay my hand on the identification crystal. Confirming a person's identity using their soul is far safer than using fingerprints, and we have enough magicians under our employ now that we can replace them or build more if anything…

If anything happened to Circe. The rate of attrition amongst the members of our fraternity has been… Surprisingly high.

In one of our rare direct conversations Boss Smiley insisted that his involvement means that while he can't keep Hephaestus from discovering what we're saying, he would both know and not know at the same time. He shouldn't be able to know when talking to other people, at least. And I expect that's the best we're going to get as far as security goes. Savitar's people could technically pick us up and carry us all to a remote location for monthly fact-to-face meetings, but the prospect is ridiculous.

And… There. The system has confirmed my identity to its satisfaction, and I find myself in a void that's part dream and part holographic projection. I see the representations of my fellow members of The Light laid out around me in a circle.

"L Three." Savage greets me first, of course. "Thank you for joining us."

No Boss Smiley, of course. The few times he's deigned to speak as part of the group, he's used the circle itself as his image. According to Circe that's about as civil an arrangement as we can expect, but unlike the others where their attendance implies that they're taking this gratifyingly seriously… I honestly prefer Boss Smiley's absence.

"I apologise for the delay. There were matters I had to oversee personally."

"Yes." I can hear how cheerful Brain is. "I was most impressed with how your scientists were able to harness the boy. Given how primitive their equipment was, I mean. My work on reverse-engineering his ability is beginning. The cells are replicating well, and do not appear to be trying to break containment. I will provide further updates once I have something substantive to report."

"Thank you. L Twelve, are you fully recovered?"

"Yes, thank you, L One. Though I'm afraid that my collaborators will no longer be collaborating."

"Does that represent an insurmountable obstacle?"

"No. Actually, a new avenue of research has opened itself. I will coordinate with L Eleven and provide more information when I have a better understanding of what actually happened. Because if I'm correct… We may finally be able to show this world the light."

 

[Ngamer11]

Does anyone remember the latest list for confirmed members of the Light? Because I'm assuming L Twelve is Know Man.

 

[Darko]

How can they not see it? It's-.

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Because they don't want the power, and unlike you they actually mean when they say that.

Savitar's people could technically pick us up and carry us all to a remote location for monthly fact-to-face meetings, but the prospect is ridiculous.

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Not to mention dangerous if Savitar decides to betray you.

honestly prefer Boss Smiley's absence.

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Yet you still work with the spirit of stagnation.

to harness to boy. Given how primitive their equipment was, I mean

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"the boy"

 

[Mr Zoat]

"the boy"

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[McGraww]

Ugh, this is why Paul should've just killed Lex.

 

[Signaller]

/sigh. I'm not surprised, but I am disappointed with Lex.

 

[Darko]

Does anyone remember the latest list for confirmed members of the Light? Because I'm assuming L Twelve is Know Man.

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Makes sense.

And L-Eleven is Circe, so the Light may now have a mind control device.